Cove Lake Recreation Area
The Cove Lake Recreation Area is a perfect summer getaway and an ideal place to camp, picnic or recreate. It envelops the shores of a 160-acre mountain lake near the 2,700-foot-tall Mount Magazine, the highest point in the state of Arkansas.
More like this: reservable in Arkansas · big rigs in Arkansas · group sites in Arkansas
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 36 |
| group shelter electric | 1 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 68 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
37 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | Waterfront | People / vehicles | Fires | Accessible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pavilion | Group Shelter Electric | Back-in | 20 | Paved | Partial | Lakefront | 50 / 22 | Yes | ||
| 001 | A | Standard | Back-in | 35 | Paved | Full | 6 / 4 | Yes | ||
| 002 | A | Standard | Back-in | 60 | Paved | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes | ||
| 003 | A | Standard | Back-in | 44 | Paved | Full | 6 / 4 | Yes | ||
| 004 | A | Standard | Back-in | 44 | Paved | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes | ||
| 005 | A | Standard | Back-in | 40 | Paved | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes | ||
| 006 | A | Standard | Back-in | 35 | Paved | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes | ||
| 007 | A | Standard | Back-in | 45 | Paved | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes | ||
| 008 | A | Standard | Back-in | 45 | Paved | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes | ||
| 009 | A | Standard | Back-in | 40 | Paved | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 10:00 AM, checkout 07:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Max vehicle length | 68 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Tent pads | Yes |
| Accessibility | Sites Pavilion, 014 are listed accessible |
The recreation area provides picnic areas, campsites and a group shelter, as well as multiple activities, including miniature golf, canoe and paddleboat rentals. The campground offers multiple single-family sites for tent or RV camping. Each site is equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible flush toilets, hot showers and drinking water are also provided. Multiple picnic areas are available on the lake shore, including a picnic shelter that has electricity.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Year-round |
| Forest | Ozark-St. Francis National Forests |
| Booking | Reservations are available for 18 campsites. |
| Fees | Campground $15/site/day. Cabins $35. Pavilion $35 full day; $17.50 half day. Day-use area $5/day. Boat Ramp $5. |
| Rules | "No Wake" restriction - |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Paris, take Highway 109 south, then turn southeast on Highway 309 for 9 miles.
| Nearest town | Paris, Arkansas |
| Coordinates | 35.2244° N, 93.6225° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 20.2 mi |
| Outdoor gear | American Outdoor Sports ↗ | 28.1 mi |
| RV sales & service | Victory Lane Motors ↗ | 55.5 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Cove Lake State Park Campground - Caryville, TN
Worth a stop
The recreation area is about 15 miles south of the town of Paris, in Logan County, Arkansas. A scenic route to the top of Mount Magazine is a beautiful 10 mile drive north from Havana, Arkansas.
- 12.3 miShoal Bay Day Use ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miCCC Trail0.9 mi trail · hiking
- 0.7 miCove Lake Perimeter3.3 mi trail · hiking
- 2 miMt. Magazine Trail ↗10.3 mi trail · hiking
- 2.8 miTurkey Knob ↗0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, ATV and 1 more
- 3.5 miCalico Creek2.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD
- 3.7 miHuckleberry Mtn Horse Trail1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
Ouachita National Forest begins about 5.1 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 5.1 miOuachita National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,724,422 acres
- 9.2 miOzark-St. Francis National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,532,900 acres
- 13.5 miDry Creek Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 6,301 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Cove Lake BathhouseBuilding · Corley · 0.5 mi
- Cove Lake Spillway Dam–BridgeStructure · Corley · 0.7 mi
- Burnett SpringsSite · Corley · 1.3 mi
Natural features
The recreation area is situated in a mixed forest of mature trees and is located in the Arkansas River Valley in the Ozark National Forest.
Recreation
Popular activities include swimming, fishing, hiking, water skiing and scenic drives. A boat ramp is available and an on-site concessionaire provides boat rentals and other equipment available for purchase. The lake is home to catfish, large mouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, crappie and perch. It is stocked every other year, although a small amount of catfish are stocked annually and just prior to a yearly kids' fishing derby hosted at the lake.
Guidebooks for Arkansas
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Cove Lake Recreation Area?
Sites at Cove Lake Recreation Area are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations are available for 18 campsites. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Cove Lake Recreation Area?
Campground $15/site/day. Cabins $35. Pavilion $35 full day; $17.50 half day.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Cove Lake Recreation Area?
Check-in 10:00 AM, checkout 07:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is Cove Lake Recreation Area open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Year-round.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Cove Lake Recreation Area have?
37 sites, including 36 standard sites without power and 1 group shelter electric.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Cove Lake Recreation Area?
The longest site here provides 68 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Are there showers or a dump station at Cove Lake Recreation Area?
Accessible flush toilets, hot showers and drinking water are also provided.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there accessible sites at Cove Lake Recreation Area?
Sites Pavilion and 014 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Cove Lake Recreation Area?
Popular activities include swimming, fishing, hiking, water skiing and scenic drives. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Cove Lake Recreation Area?
Paris, Arkansas. The recreation area is about 15 miles south of the town of Paris, in Logan County, Arkansas.
Source: Getting there
What if Cove Lake Recreation Area is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Waveland Park (8.3 mi), Outlet Area (8.7 mi), and Sorghum Hollow (8.9 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby